^^^^ 
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The  Theory  of  Missions  to  the  Heathen. 


^^^^^ '^^^^^-n--^ 


SERMON 


ORDINATION  OF  MR.  EDWxlRD  WEBB, 


AS   A   MISSIONARY   TO   THE  HEATHEN. 


Ware,  Mass.,  Oct  23,  1845. 


BY   BUFUS  ANDEBSON, 

Ona  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions. 


BOSTON: 
PRESS    OF   CROCKER   AND  BREWSTER, 
47,  AVashington-street. 

1845. 


The  Theory  of  Missions  to  the  Heathen. 


ORDINATION  OF  MR.  EDWARD  WEBB, 


AS    A   MISSIONARY   TO   THE  HEATHEN. 


Ware,  Mass.,  Oct.  23,  1845, 


BY   KUFCS  ANDERSON, 

One  ol'  the  Secretaries  of  the  American  Buard  of  Commiisionen  for 
Foreign  Mi«8ions. 


BOSTON: 
PRESS    OF   CROCKER   AND  BREWSTER, 
47,  Wathingtnn-itreet. 

1845. 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/theoryofmissionsOOande_0 


SERMON. 


2  Corinthians  v:20. 

Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ;  as  though  God  did 
beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  ChrisVs  stead,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God. 

J  Comparing  the  present  period  of  the  church  with  the 
i  apostolical,  we  come  to  two  very  different  results  respect- 
ing our  own  age.  One  is,  that  the  facilities  enjoyed  by 
us  for  propagating  the  gospel  throughout  the  world,  are 
vastly  greater  than  those  enjoyed  by  the  apostles.  The 
other  is,  that  it  is  far  more  difficult  now,  than  it  was  then, 
to  impart  a  purely  spiritual  character  to  missions  among 
the  heathen. 

:  As  to  facilities,  we  have  the  advantage  of  the  apostles 
in  all  respects,  except  the  gift  of  tongues.  The  world,  as 
a  whole,  was  never  so  open  to  the  preacher  of  the  gospel 
since  the  introduction  of  the  Christian  dispensation.  The 
civilization,  too,  that  is  connected  with  modern  science, 
is  all  connected  also  with  Christianity  in  some  of  its 
forms.  I  should  add,  that  the  civilization  which  the  gos- 
ipel  has  conferred  upon  our  own  New  England  is  the 
^highest  and  best,  in  a  religious  point  of  view,  the  world 
\has  yet  seen. 


4 


But,  on  the  other  hand,  this  very  perfection  of  our  own 
social  rchgious  state  becomes  a  formidable  hindrance  to 
establishing  such  purely  spiritual  missions  among  heathen 
'nations,  as  were  those  of  the  apostolical  times.  Not 
that  this  is  the  only  hindrance  to  this  result;  there  are 
I  .many  others,  but   this  is  an  important  one.     For,  the 
■  I  Christian  religion  is  identified,  in  all  our  conceptions  of  it 
j  jfrom  our  earliest  years,  with  the  almost  universal  diffii- 
jsion  among  its  professors  of  the  blessings  of  education, 
]  jindiistry,  civil  liberty,  family  government,  social  order, 
Hthe  means  of  a  respectable  livelihood,  and  a  well  ordered 
■p  community.    Hence  owr  idea  of  piety  in  converts  among 
:|the  heathen  very  generally  involves  the  acquisition  and 
? {possession,  to  a  great  extent,  of  these  blessings;  and  our 
'■■  [idea  of  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  by  means  of  mis- 
;  !sions  is,  to  an  equal  extent,  the  creation  araong  heathen 
i  ^rihcs  and  nations  of  a  highly  improved  state  of  society,  such 
'  as  we  ourselves  etijoy.     And  for  this  vast  intellectual, 
moral  and  social  transformation  we  allow-  but  a  short 
time.    We  expect  the  first  generation  of  converts,  to 
Christianity,  even  among  savages,  to  come  into  all  our 
fundamental  ideas  of  morals,  manners,  political  economy, 
social  organization,  right,  justice,  equity;  although  many 
of  these  are  ideas  which  our  own  community  has  been 
ages  in  acquiring.    If  we  discover  that  converts  under 
the  torrid  zone  go  but  half  clothed,  that  they  are  idle  on 
a  soil  where  a  small  amount  of  labor  will  supply  their 
wants,  that  they  sometimes  forget  the  apostle's  cautions 
to  his  converts,  not  to  lie  one  to  another,  and  to  steal  no 
more,  in  communities  where  the  grossest  vice  scarcely 
affects  the  reputation,  and  that  they  are  slow  to  adopt 
our  ideas  of  the  rights  of  man ;  we  at  once  doubt  the 
genuineness  of  their  conversion,  and  the  faithfulness  of 
their  missionary  instructors.    Nor  is  it  surprising  that  this 
feeling  is  strongest,  as  it  appears  to  be,  in  the  most  en- 
ligiitened  and  favored  portions  of  our  country  ;  since  it  is 
among  those  whose  privilege  it  is  to  dwell  upon  the 
heights  of  Zion,  that  we  have  the  most  reason  to  expect  this 


5 


feeling,  until  they  shall  have  reflected  maturely  on  the 
difference  there  is  between  their  own  circumstances  and 
states  of  mind,  and  those  of  a  heathen  and  barbarous 
people. 

Now  the  prevalence  of  these  sentiments  at  home  has 
exerted  an  influence  on  all  the  missions.  Nor  is  the  in- 
fluence new.  You  see  it  in  the  extent  to  which  farmers 
and  mechanics — pious  but  secular  men — were  sent,  many 
years  ago,  along  with  the  missionaries,  to  assist  in  re- 
claiming the  savages  of  the  wilderness  from  the  chase 
and  settling  them  in  communities  like  our  own — a  prac- 
tice now  nearly  discontinued,  except  where  the  expense 
is  borne  by  the  national  government. 

Unless  this  influence  is  guarded  against  by  missiona- 
ries and  their  directors,  the  result  is  that  the  missions 
have  a  two-fold  object  of  pursuit ;  the  one,  that  simple  and 
sublime  spiritual  object  of  the  ambassador  for  Christ 
mentioned  in  the  text,  "  persuading  men  to  be  reconciled 
i  to  God ; "  the  other,  the  reorganizing,  by  various  direct 
[  means,  of  the  structure  of  that  social  system,  of  which 
! the  converts  form  apart.    Thus  the  object  of  the  mis- 
sions becomes  more  or  less  complicated,  leading  to  a 
(Complicated,  burdensome,  and  perhaps  expensive  course 
of  measures  for  its  attainment. 

j  I  may  be  allowed,  therefore,  to  invite  attention  to  what 
as  conceived  to  be  our  true  and  only  office  ami  work  in 
missions  to  the  heathen.  "  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ ;  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we 
pray  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." 
The  ambassadors  here  spoken  of  were  missionaries — mis- 
sionaries to  the  heathen,  for  such  were  Paul  and  his  asso- 
ciates ;  sent,  instead  of  Christ  the  Mediator,  on  a  ministry 
withheld  from  angels,  to  plead  with  rebellious  men  to  be- 
come reconciled  to  God.  They  are  ambassadors  sent  on 
the  same  general  errand  that  brought  the  Lord  Jesus  from 
heaven,  and  their  commission  is  to  proclaim  abroad  the 
fact,  history,  design  and  effect  of  his  atonement,  and  bring 


6 


its  renovating  power  to  bear  as  widely  as  possible  upon 
the  human  race. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  dwell  a  short  time  on  the  lead- 
ing aspects  of  this  enterprise.  And, 

1.  The  vocation  of  the  missionary  who  is  sent  to  the 
heathen,  is  not  the  same  with  that  of  the  settled  pastor. 

The  work  of  human  salvation  is  one  of  vast  extent, 
whether  we  regard  the  time  it  is  to  occupy,  the  objects 
upon  which  it  operates,  the  agents  it  employs,  or  the  re- 
sults which  are  to  be  accomplished.  And  it  is  performed 
with  that  regard  for  order  and  gradual  developeraent, 
which  generally  characterizes  the  works  of  God.  Upon 
the  Lord  Jesus  it  devolved  to  make  the  atonement,  thus 
preparing  the  way,  as  none  else  could  do,  for  reconciling 
man  to  his  Maker ;  and  then  He  returned  to  the  heaven 
whence  he  came.  Upon  his  immediate  disciples  it  then 
devolved  to  make  proclamation  of  the  atonement,  and  its 
kindred  and  dependent  doctrines,  throughout  the  world, 
the  whole  of  which  world,  excepting  Judea,  was  then  hea- 
then. This  they  were  to  do  as  his  representatives  and 
ambassadors ;  and  to  expedite  the  work,  they  were  fur- 
nished with  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  an  extraordinary 
divine  influence  attended  their  preaching.  Their  com- 
mission embraced  only  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel 
and  planting  its  institutions.  As  soon  as  the  gospel  by 
their  means  had  gained  a  footing  in  any  one  district  of 
country,  they  left  the  work  in  charge  to  others,  called 
elders  and  also  bishops  or  overseers  of  the  flock  and 
church  of  God,  whom  they  ordained  for  the  purpose. 
Sometimes  they  did  not  remain  even  long  enough  to  pro- 
vide spiritual  guides  for  the  churches  they  had  planted. 
"  For  this  cause,"  says  Paul  to  Titus,  "  left  I  thee  in 
Crete,  that  thou  shouldest  set  in  order  the  things  that  are 
wanting,  and  ordain  elders  in  every  city,  as  I  had  ap- 
pointed thee."  The  elders  were  the  pastors  of  the  new 
churches.  Elsewhere  the  apostle  speaks  of  dilferent  de- 
partments of  labor  and  influence  assigned  to  the  ministers 


7 


of  Christ.  He  says  that  when  Christ  ascended  up  on 
high  he  gave  gifts  nnto  men ;  to  some  apostles,  to  some 
prophets,  to  some  evangelists,  to  some  ppstors  and  teach- 
ers. Whatever  was  the  peculiar  office  of  'prophets'  and 
'  teachers,'  none  can  doubt  that  '  evangelists '  were  fellow- 
laborers  of  the  apostles  in  the  missionary  work,  and  that 
'pastors'  had  the  stated  care  and  instruction  of  particular 
churches.  Now  missionaries  are  the  true  and  proper  suc- 
cessors of  the  apostles  and  evangelists,  and  their  sphere 
of  duty  is  not  the  same  with  that  of  pastors,  who  are  suc- 
cessors, in  their  sacred  functions,  not  so  much  of  the 
apostles  and  evangelists,  as  of  the  elders  and  bishops. 
It  enters  into  the  nature  of  the  pastor's  relation,  that  he 
remain  or  be  intended  to  remain  long  the  spiritual  in- 
structor of  some  one  people.  It  is  indeed  as  really  his 
business  to  call  sinners  to  repentance,  as  it  is  that  of  the 
missionary ;  but,  owing  to  his  more  permanent  relations, 
and  to  the  fact  that  he  is  constituted  the  religious  guide 
and  instructor  of  his  converts  during  the  whole  period  of 
their  earthly  pilgrimage,  his  range  of  duty  in  respect  to 
them  is  more  comprehensive  than  that  of  the  missionary 
in  respect  to  his  converts.  The  pastor  is  charged,  in 
common  with  the  missionary,  with  reconciling  men  to 
God ;  and  he  has  also  an  additional  charge,  arising  from 
the  peculiar  circumstances  of  his  relation,  with  respect  to 
their  growth  in  grace  and  sanctification.  But  the  mis- 
sionary's great  business  in  his  personal  labors,  is  with 
the  unconverted.  His  embassy  is  to  the  rebellious,  to 
beseech  them,  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 
His  vocation,  as  a  soldier  of  the  cross,  is  to  make  con- 
quests, and  to  go  on,  in  the  name  of  his  divine  Master, 
'  conquering  and  to  conquer  ;'  committing  the  security 
and  permanency  of  his  conquests  to  another  class  of  men 
created  expressly  for  the  purpose.  The  idea  of  continued 
conquest  is  fundamental  in  missions  to  the  heathen,  and 
is  vital  to  their  spiritual  life  and  efficiency.  It  will  doubt- 
less be  found  on  inquiry,  that  missions  among  the  hea- 
then have  always  ceased  to  be  healthful  and  efficient, 


8 


have  ceased  to  evince  the  true  missionary  spirit  in  its 
strength,  whenever  they  have  ceased  to  be  actively  ag- 
gressive upon  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 

In  a  word,  the  missionary  prepares  new  fields  for  pas- 
tors; and  when  they  are  thus  prepared,  and  competent 
pastors  are  upon  the  ground,  he  ought  himself  to  move 
onward, — the  pioneer  in  effect  of  a  Christian  civilization — 
but  in  office,  work  and  spirit,  an  ambassador  for  Christ, 
to  preach  the  gospel  where  it  has  not  been  preached. 
And,  whatever  may  be  said  with  resjiect  to  pastors,  it  is 
true  of  the  missionary,  that  he  is  to  keep  himself  as  free 
as  possible  from  entanglements  with  literature,  science 
and  commerce,  and  with  questions  of  church  government, 
politics  and  social  order.  For, 

\  2.  The  object  and  work  of  the  missionary  are  pre- 
jeminenlly  spiritual. 

His  embassy  and  message  are  as  really  from  the  other 
world,  as  if  he  Avere  an  angel  from  heaven.  He  who  de- 
votes himself  to  the  work  of  foreign  missions,  comes 
thereby  under  peculiar  engagements  and  obligations. 
His  situation  is  in  some  important  respects  peculiar,  com- 
pared with  that  of  all  others.  His  sphere  of  action  lies 
beyond  the  bounds  of  his  native  land,  beyond  the  bounds 
of  Christendom,  where  society  and  the  family  and  human 
nature  lie  all  in  ruins.  As  the  great  Originator  and  Lord 
of  the  enterprise  came  from  the  realms  of  heavenly 
blessedness  to  this  world  when  it  was  one  universal 
moral  waste,  so  his  representatives  and  ambassadors 
have  now  to  go  from  those  portions  of  the  earth  that  have 
been  illuminated  by  his  gospel  to  regions  that  are  as  yet 
unvisited  by  these  benign  influences.  They  are  therefore 
required  preeminently  to  renounce  the  world.  From  the 
nature  of  the  case  ihey  make  a  greater  sacrifice  of  worldly 
blessings,  than  their  brethren  at  home  can  do,  however 
much  disposed.  They  forsake  their  native  land  and  the 
loved  scenes  of  their  youthful  days.  Oceans  separate 
them  from  their  relatives  and  friends.    They  encounter 


9 


torrid  heats  and  strange  diseases.  They  traverse  pathless 
wilds,  and  are  exposed  to  burning  suns  and  chilling 
night-damps,  to  rain  or  snow.  Yet  these  things,  when  in 
their  most  repulsive  forms,  are  reckoned  by  missionaries 
as  the  least  of  the  trials  appertaining  to  their  vocation. 
The  foreign  missionary's  greatest  sacrifices  and  trials  are 
social  and  religious.  It  is  here  that  he  has  a  severity  of 
trial,  which  even  the  domestic  missionary  ordinarily  can- 
not have.  Whatever  the  devoted  servant  of  Christ  upon 
the  frontiers  may  endure  for  the  present,  he  sees  the 
waves  of  a  christian  civilization  not  far  distant  rolling  on- 
ward, and  knows  that  there  will  soon  be  all  around  hira 
gospel  institutions  and  a  Christian  community.  But  it  is 
not  so  with  the  foreign  missionary.  It  requires  great 
strength  of  faith  in  Christ  for  hira  to  look  at  his  rising 
family,  and  then  with  unruffled  feelings  towards  the 
future.  True,  he  sees  the  gospel  taking  hold  of  minds 
and  hearts  in  consequence  of  his  ministr)"-,  and  souls  con- 
verted and  reconciled  to  God ;  he  gathers  churches ;  he 
sees  around  him  the  germs  of  a  future  Christian  civiliza- 
tion. But  then,  o\ving  to  the  imperfect  and  disordered 
state  of  society  in  heathen  communities,  he  dares  not  an- 
ticipate so  much  social  advancement  for  two  or  three 
generations  to  come,  as  would  make  it  pleasant  to  think 
of  leaving  his  children  among  the  people  for  whose 
spiritual  well-being  he  dehghts  to  spend  his  own  strength 
and  years.  And  then  his  heart  yearns  ofttimes  to  be 
braced  and  cheered  by  social  Christian  fellowship  of  a 
higher  order  than  he  finds  among  his  converts  from  hea- 
thenism. It  is  not  the  'flesh-pots  of  Egypt'  he  looks 
back  upon,  nor  any  of  the  pleasant  things  that  used  to 
gratify  his  senses  in  his  native  land ;  but  he  does  some- 
times  think  of  the  kindred  spirits  he  would  find  in  that 
land,  and  of  the  high  intellectual  and  spiritual  fellowship 
he  would  enjoy  in  their  society,  and  how  it  would  refresh 
and  strengthen  his  own  mind  and  heart.  Often  there  is 
a  feeling  of  weakness  and  faintness  arising  from  the  want 
2 


10 


of  such  fellowship,  which  is  the  most  painful  part  of  his 
sufferings.  The  foreign  missionary  is  obliged,  indeed, 
to  act  preeminently  upon  the  doctrine  of  a  future  life, 
and  of  God's  supreme  and  universal  government,  and  to 
make  a  deliberate  sacrifice  of  time  for  eternity,  and  of 
earth  for  heaven.  And  this  he  does  as  an  act  of  duty  to 
his  Redeemer,  for  the  sake  of  extending  the  influence  of 
his  redemption,  and  bringing  its  reconciling  and  saving 
power  to  bear  upon  the  myriads  of  immortal  souls  dwel- 
ling beyond  the  utmost  verge  of  the  Christian  church 

And  thus  the  foreign  missionary  is  driven,  as  it  were, 
by  the  very  circumstances  of  his  position,  as  well  as 
led  by  his  commission  and  his  convictions  of  duty,  to 
concentrate  his  attention  and  energies  upon  the  soul, 
ruined  though  immortal.  And  truly  it  is  a  vast  and 
mighty  ruin  he  beholds — more  affecting  to  look  upon 
in  the  light  of  its  own  proper  eternity,  than  would  be  the 
desolation  of  all  the  cities  in  the  world.  It  is  too  vast  a 
ruin  for  a  feeble  band  to  attempt  the  restoration  of  every 
part  at  once.  As  Nehemiah  concentrated  his  energies 
upon  rebuilding  the  walls  of  the  city  of  his  fathers, 
rightly  concluding  that  if  the  walls  were  rebuilt  and 
threw  their  encouraging  protection  around,  the  other  por- 
tions of  the  city  would  rise  of  course  ;  so  the  missionary, 
as  a  thoughtful  and  wise  man,  sets  himself  to  reconcile 
the  alienated  heart  to  God,  believing  that  that  point  being 
gained,  and  the  principle  of  obedience  implanted,  and  a 
highly  spiritual  religion  introduced,  a  social  renovation 
will  be  sure  to  follow.  He  considers  not,  therefore,  so 
much  the  relations  of  man  to  man,  as  of  man  to  God ; 
not  so  much  the  relations  and  interests  of  time,  as  those 
of  eternity;  not  so  much  the  intellectual  and  social 
degradation  and  debasement,  the  result  of  barbarism  or 
of  iron-handed  oppression,  as  the  alienation  and  estrange- 
ment of  the  heart  of  man  from  his  Maker,  and  the  deadly 
influence  of  hateful  and  destroying  passions  upon  his 
soul.  As  when  a  house  is  burning  in  the  dead  of  night, 
our  fust  and  great  concern  is  not  for  the  house,  but  for 


11 


the  sleeping  dwellers  within  ;  so  the  missionary's  first  and 
great  concern  is  for  the  soul,  to  save  it  from  impending 
wrath. 

And  the  means  he  employs  in  this  ministry  of  recon- 
ciliation, are  as  single  and  spiritual  as  the  end  he  has  in 
view.  He  preaches  the  cross  of  Christ.  The  apostle  Paul 
declares  that  this  was  his  grand  theme.  And  it  is  re- 
markable how  experience  is  bringing  modem  missiona- 
ries to  the  same  result.  Their  grand  agent  is  oral  instruc- 
tion ;  their  grand  theme  is  the  cross.  And  now,  perhaps 
not  less  than  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  the  Holy  Spirit 
appears  to  restrict  his  converting  influences  among  the 
heathen  chiefly  to  this  species  of  agency,  and  to  this  grand 
theme.  Excepting  in  the  schools,  the  usefulness  of  books 
is  chiefly  with  those  whose  hearts  have  been  in  some 
measure  moved  and  roused  by  the  preached  word.  It 
appears  to  be  the  will  of  the  great  Redeemer,  who  came 
in  person  to  begin  the  work,  that  his  salvation  shall  every 
where  be  proclaimed  in  person  by  his  ambassadors,  and 
that  his  message  of  grace  shall  have  all  the  impressiveness 
of  look  and  voice  and  manner,  which  they  are  able  to  give 
it  After  the  manner  of  their  illustrious  predecessor,  they 
must  teach  publicly,  and  from  house  Id  house,  and  warn 
every  one  night  and  day  with  tears.  The  necessity  of 
this  in  order  to  reconcile  rebeUious  men  to  God,  has  not 
been  diminished  by  the  multiplication  of  books  through 
the  press.  Well-authenticated  cases  o(  conversion  among 
pagans,  by  means  of  books  alone,  not  excepting  even 
the  Scriptures,  are  exceedingly  rare.  By  the  divine 
appointment,  there  must  also  be  the  living  preacher ;  and 
his  preaching  must  not  be  "with  the  wisdom  of  words, 
lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should  be  made  of  none  effect." 

You  see,  then.  Brethren,  the  high  spiritual  calling  of 
the  missionary.  At  the  very  threshold  of  his  work,  he  is 
required,  in  a  preeminent  degree,  to  renounce  the  world. 
His  message,  wherein  lies  his  duty  and  all  his  hope  of 
success,  is  concerning  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and  the  object 


of  it  is  to  restore  the  lost  spiritual  relation  between  man 
and  God.  The  impression  he  is  designing  to  make  is 
directly  upon  the  soul.  And  his  work  lies  so  altogether 
out  of  the  common  range  of  worldly  ideas,  and  even  of 
the  ideas  of  many  professed  Christians,  that  multitudes 
have  no  faith  in  it;  it  is  to  them  like  a  root  out  of  a  dry 
ground,  and  they  see  no  form  nor  comeliness  in  it,  and 
nothing  that  should  lead  them  to  desire  it.  Nor  is  it  until 
the  civihzing  results  come  out,  that  these  unsanctified  or 
very  partially  sanctified  persons  can  give  the  missionary 
work  any  degree  of  their  respect. 

I  The  necessity  of  connecting  a  system  of  education  with 
modem  missions,  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  view  we 
have  taken  of  the  true  theory  of  missions  to  the  heathen. 
The  apostles  had  greatly  the  advantage  of  us  in  procuring 
elders,  or  pastors  for  their  churches.  In  their  day  the 
most  civilized  portions  of  the  world  were  heathen — as  if 
to  show  the  weakness  of  mere  human  learning  and  wis- 
dom ;  and  the  missionary  labors  of  the  apostles  and  their 
associates,  so  far  as  we  have  authentic  accounts  of  them, 
were  in  the  best  educated  and  in  some  respects  highly 
educated  portions  of  the  earth.  Wherever  they  went, 
therefore,  they  found  mind  in  comparatively  an  erect,  in- 
telligent, reasoning  posture ;  and  it  would  seem  that  men 
could  easily  have  been  found  among  their  converts,  who, 
with  some  special  but  brief  instruction  concerning  the 
gospel,  would  be  fitted  to  take  the  pastoral  care  of 
churches.  But  it  appears  that,  until  schools  expressly  for 
training  pastors  were  in  operation, — as  ere  long  they  were 
at  Alexandria,  Caesarea,  Antioch,  Edessa,  and  elsewhere, 
— it  pleased  God  essentially  to  aid  in  qualifying  men  for 
the  office  of  pastors  by  a  miraculous  agency ;  the  Holy 
Ghost  exerting  upon  them  a  supernatural  influence,  by 
which  their  understandings  were  strengthened  and  spirit- 
ually illuminated,  and  they  gifted  with  powers  of  utterance. 

But,  at  the  present  time,  the  whole  civilized  world  is  at 
least  nominally  Christian,  and  modern  missions  must  be 


13 


prosecuted  among  uncivilized,  or  at  least  partially  civil- 
ized tribes  and  nations,  from  which  useful  ideas  have  in 
great  measure  perished.  Even  in  those  heathen  nations 
which  make  the  greatest  pretensions  to  learning,  as  in 
India,  we  find  but  little  truth  existing  on  any  subject. 
Their  history,  chronology,  geography,  astronomy,  their  no- 
tions of  matter  and  mind,  and  their  views  of  creation  and 
providence,  religion  and  morals,  are  exceedingly  destitute 
of  tmth.  And  yet  it  is  not  so  much  a  vacuity  of  mind 
here  that  we  have  to  contend  with,  as  it  is  plenitude  of 
error — the  unrestrained  accumulations  and  perversions  of 
depraved  intellect  for  three  thousand  years.  But  among 
savage  heathens,  it  is  vacuity  of  mind,  and  not  a  pleni- 
tude, we  have  to  operate  upon.  For,  the  savage  has  few 
ideas,  sees  only  the  objects  just  about  him,  perceives 
nothing  of  the  relations  of  things,  and  occupies  his 
thoughts  only  about  his  physical  experiences  and  wants. 
He  knows  nothing  of  geography,  astronomy,  history, 
nothing  of  his  own  spiritual  natiue  and  destiny,  and 
nothing  of  God. 

In  these  circumstances  and  without  the  power  of  confer- 
ring miraculous  gifts,  modem  missionaries  are  constrained 
to  resort  to  education  in  order  to  procure  pastors  for  their 
churches.  They  select  the  most  promising  candidates,  and 
take  the  usual  methods  to  train  them  to  stand  alone  and 
firm  in  the  gospel  ministry,  and  to  be  competent  spiritual 
guides  to  others.  This  creates,  it  will  be  perceived,  a  ne- 
cessity for  a  system  of  education  of  greater  or  less  extent 
in  each  of  the  missions,  embracing  even  a  considerable 
number  of  elementary  schools.  The  whole  is  designed  to 
secure,  through  the  divine  blessing,  a  competent  native 
ministry,  who  shall  aid  missionaries  in  their  work,  and 
at  length  take  their  places.  The  schools,  moreover,  of 
every  grade,  are,  or  ought  to  be  so  many  preaching  places, 
so  many  congregations  of  youth,  to  whom,  often  with 
parents  and  friends  attending,  the  gospel  is  more  or  less 
formally  proclaimed. 


14 


I  have  thus  endeavored,  my  Brethren,  to  set  before  you 
the  foreign  missionary  enterprise  in  what  I  conceive  to  be 
its  true  scriptural  character ;  as  an  enterprise,  the  object 
of  vt^hich,  and  the  sole  object,  is  the  reconciling  of  rebel- 
lions men  in  heathen  lands  to  God. 

I     And  what  is  true  of  the  individual  missionary,  is  of 
I  course  equally  true  of  the  Missionary  Society,  which  di- 
rects his  labors  and  is  the  medium  of  his  support.    The  So- 
jciely  sends  forth  men  to  be  evangelists,  rather  than  perma- 
i  nent  pastors ;  and  when  pastors  are  required  by  the  progress 
1 1  and  success  of  the  work,  it  seeks  them  among  native  con- 
I  verts  on  the  ground.    And  herein  it  differs  from  the  ap- 
I  propriate  usages  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  which, 
i  operating  on  feeble  churches  within  Christian  communi- 
f  ties,  or  in  districts  that  are  soon  to  be  covered  with  a  Chris- 
j  tian  civilization  of  some  sort,  sends  forth  its  preachers  all 
'  to  become  settled  pastors  as  soon  as  possible.  The  foreign 
missionary  work  is  in  fact  a  vast  evangelism;  with  con- 
quest, in  order  to  extend  the  bounds  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  for  its  object;  having  as  little  to  do  with  the 
relations  of  this  life  and  the  things  of  the  world  and  sense, 
and  as  few  relations  to  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  as  is 
consistent  with  the  successful  prosecution  of  its  one  grand 
object — the  restoring,  in  the  immortal  soul  of  man,  of  that 
blessed  attraction  to  the  Centre  of  the  Spiritual  Universe 
which  was  lost  at  the  fall. 

This  method  of  conducting  foreign  missions,  besides 
its  evident  conformity  to  Scripture,  is  supported  by  va- 
rious weighty  considerations. 

j  1.  It  is  the  only  method  that,  as  a  system  of  measures, 
will  commend  itself  strongly  to  the  consciences  and  re- 
spect of  mankind. 

The  first  mission  sent  forth  under  the  care  of  the 
American  Board,  was  such  a  mission.  And  it  was 
sent  to  the  subjects  of  a  nation,  Avilh  which  our  country 
was  then  unhappily  at  war.  But  the  missionaries  were 
regarded  on  all  hands  as  belonging  preeminently  to  a 
kingdom  not  of  this  world,  and  having  an  object  of  a 


15 


purely  spiritual  nature.  And  when,  notwithstanding  this, 
the  policy  of  the  East  Indian  government  would  have 
sent  them  away,  it  was  this  that  gave  convincing  and 
overwhelming  force  to  the  following  appeal  made  by  our 
brethren  to  the  governor  of  Bombay  : 

"  We  entreat  you  by  the  spiritual  miseries  of  the  hea- 
then, who  are  daily  perishing  before  your  eyes,  and  under 
your  Excellency's  government,  not  to  prevent  us  from 
preaching  Christ  to  them.  We  entreat  you  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus  which  he  shed  to  redeem  them, — as  ministers  of 
Him,  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  who 
with  his  farewell  and  ascending  voice  commanded  his 
ministers  to  go  and  teach  all  nations,  we  entreat  you  not 
to  prohibit  us  from  teaching  these  heathens.  By  all  the 
principles  of  our  holy  religion,  by  which  you  hope  to  be 
saved,  we  entreat  you  not  to  hinder  us  from  preaching 
the  same  religion  to  these  perishing  idolaters.  By  all  the 
solemnities  of  the  judgment  day,  when  your  Excellency 
must  meet  your  heathen  subjects  before  God's  tribunal, 
we  entreat  you  not  to  hinder  us  from  preaching  to  them 
that  gospel,  which  is  able  to  prepare  them,  as  well  as  you, 
for  that  awful  day." 

Nothing  but  a  consciousness  of  the  high  spirituality  of 
their  object  and  the  impossibility  of  connecting  it  with 
questions  of  a  secular  nature,  imparted  boldness  to  our 
brethren  to  make  this  appeal,  and  gave  it  favor  and  effi- 
cacy in  the  high  places  of  power.  And  it  is  this,  which 
lately  preserved  our  brethren  on  Mount  Lebanon  harm- 
less amid  the  fury  and  carnage  of  a  civil  war.  And  this 
it  is  that  imparts  a  degree  of  inviolability  to  the  persons 
and  efforts  of  Protestant  heralds  of  the  cross  among  all  the 
nations  which  respect  their  religion.  It  is  the  grand  pre- 
dominance of  the  sjnritxial  in  their  characters  and  pursuits, 
showing  that  they  really  do  belong  to  a  kingdom  not  of  this 
world,  and  are  not  to  be  involved  in  the  conliicting  rela- 
tions and  interests  of  earthly  communities.  English  states- 
men in  India  acknowledge,  that  the  general  prevalence 
of  Christianity  in  that  country  would  at  length  make  it 


16 


impossible  for  their  nation  to  hold  the  country  in  subjection, 
and  yet  they  encourage  the  labors  of  the  missionary.  This 
ihey  do  because  the  missionary's  object,  whatever  be  the 
known  tendency  of  his  labors,  is  not  to  change  the  civil  re- 
lations of  the  people,  but  to  give  them  the  gospel  and  save 
their  souls  ;  and  because  these  statesmen  are  convinced 
in  their  consciences,  that  this  is  an  object  of  unquestionable 
benevolence  and  obligation,  for  which  Christ  died,  for 
which  the  rainislry  was  instituted,  which  at  this  day  is  to 
be  countenanced  and  encouraged  at  all  events  by  every 
man  claiming  the  name  of  a  Christian ;  and  which,  how- 
ever humbling  it  shall  prove  in  its  results  to  avaricious 
and  ambitious  nations,  cannot  be  otherwise  than  beneficial 
on  the  broad  scale  of  the  world  and  to  the  great  family 
of  man. 

2.  This  method  of  conducting  missions  is  the  only  one, 
on  which  missionaries  can  be  obtained  in  large  numbers, 
and  kept  cheerfully  in  the  field. 

For  objects  that  are  not  spiritual  and  eternal,  men  will 
seldom  renounce  the  world  for  themselves  and  their  fami- 
lies, as  missionaries  inust  do.  Mere  philosophers  have 
never  gone  as  missionaries  ;  and  seldom  do  mere  philan- 
thropists go  into  the  heathen  world,  nor  would  they  re- 
main long,  should  they  happen  to  go.  Nor  will  a  merely 
impulsive,  unreflecting  piety  ever  bring  about  a  steady, 
persevering,  laborious,  self-denying  mission.  It  generally 
gives  out  before  the  day  for  embarkation,  or  retires  from 
the  field  before  the  language  is  acquired  and  the  battle 
fairly  commenced.  Nothing  but  the  grand  object  of 
reconciling  men  to  God,  with  a  view  to  their  eternal  salva- 
tion, and  the  happiness  and  glory  thus  resulting  to  Christ's 
kingdom,  will  call  any  considerable  number  of  missiona- 
ries into  the  foreign  field,  and  keep  them  cheerfully  there. 
And  it  is  necessary  that  this  object  be  made  to  stand  out 
alone,  in  its  greatness  and  majesty,  towering  above  all 
other  objects,  as  the  hoary-headed  monarch  of  the  Alps 
towers  above  the  inferior  mountains  around  him.  It  is 
not  fine  conceptions  of  the  beautiful  and  orderly  in  human 


17 


society  that  will  fire  the  zeal  of  a  missionaiy  ;  it  is  not  rich 
and  glowing  conceptions  of  the  life  and  duties  of  a  pastor  ; 
it  is  not  broad  and  elevated  views  of  theological  truth,  nor 
precise  and  comprehensive  views  of  the  relations  of  that 
truth  to  moral  subjects.  It  is  something  more  than  all 
this,  often  the  result  of  a  different  cast  of  mind  and 
combination  of  ideas.  The  true  missionary  character  in- 
deed is  based  upon  a  single  sublime  conception — that  of 
reconciling  immortal  souls  to  God.  To  gain  this  with  an 
effective  practical  power,  the  missionary  needs  himself  to 
have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  to  have  had  deep 
experience  of  his  own  enmity  to  God  and  hell-desert,  and 
of  the  vast  transforming  agency  of  the  reconciling  grace 
of  God  in  Christ.  As  this  conception  has  more  of  moral 
greatness  and  sublimity  in  it  than  any  other  that  ever 
entered  the  mind  of  man,  no  missionary  can  attain  to  the 
highest  elevation  and  dignity  of  his  calling,  unless  he  have 
strong  mental  power  and  a  taste  for  the  morally  sublime. 
This  the  apostle  Paul  had.  What  conceptions  of  his 
office  and  work  and  of  spiritual  things  animated  the  great 
soul  of  that  apostle  !  "  Now,  then,  we  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ;  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we 
pray  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." — 
"  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered 
into  the  heart  of  man  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
for  them  that  love  him  " — "  Oh  the  depth  of  the  riches 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God." — "  Able  to 
comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth  and 
length  and  depth  and  height,  and  to  know  the  love  of 
Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge." 

To  make  persevering  and  useful  missionaries,  however, 
it  is  not  necessary  that  the  power  of  thought  and  of  spir- 
itual apprehension  should  come  nearly  up  to  that  of  the 
apostle  Paul.  But  there  should  be  a  similar  cast  of  mind, 
similar  views  and  feelings,  and  a  similar  character. 
There  should  be  a  steady  and  sober,  but  real  enthusiasm, 
sustained  by  a  strongly  spiritualized  doctrinal  experience, 
3 


18 


and  by  the  "  powers  of  the  world  to  come,"  intent  upon 
reconciling  men  to  God,  from  a  conviction  of  its  trans- 
cendant  importance. 

Such  men  must  compose  the  great  body  of  every  mis- 
sion, or  it  will  not  be  worth  supporting  in  the  field  ;  and 
the  only  way  such  men  can  be  induced  to  engage  in  the 
work,  is  by  having  the  idea  of  spiritual  conquest,  through 
the  cross  of  Christ,  the  predominant  and  characteristic  idea 
of  the  enterprise.  That  will  attract  their  attention  while 
they  are  preparing  for  the  ministry ;  that  will  enlist  their 
consciences  and  draw  their  hearts  ;  that  will  constrain 
them  to  refuse  every  call  to  settle  at  home,  however  in- 
viting ;  and  if  they  have  learning  and  eloquence,  that 
will  lead  them  the  more  to  desire  to  go  where  Christ  has 
not  been  preached,  where  useful  talent  of  every  kind  will 
find  the  widest  scope  for  exercise. 

Nor  will  any  other  scheme  of  missions,  that  was  ever 
devised,  keep  missionaries  cheerfully  in  the  field.  It  is 
only  by  having  the  eye  intent  on  the  relations  the  hea- 
then sustain  to  God,  and  on  their  reconciliation  to  hlra, 
and  by  cultivating  the  spirit  of  dependence  on  God  and 
the  habit  of  looking  to  him  for  success,  that  the  piety  of  a 
mission  can  be  kept  flourishing,  its  bond  of  union  perfect, 
its  active  powers  all  in  full,  harmonious  and  happy  exercise. 
And  unless  these  results  are  secured,  missionaries,  like 
the  soldiers  of  a  disorganized  army,  will  lo.se  their 
courage,  their  energy  and  zeal,  their  serenity  and  health, 
and  will  leave  the  field.  Alas  for  a  mission,  where  the 
absorbing  object  of  attention  with  any  of  its  members  is 
any  thing  else,  than  how  Christ  crucified  shall  be  preached 
to  the  heathen  so  as  most  effectually  to  persuade  them  to 
be  reconciled  to  God. 

I  3.  This  method  of  conducting  missions  is  the  only  one, 
ithat  will  subjugate  the  heathen  woild  to  God. 

No  other  will  be  found  mighty  to  pull  down  the  strong 
holds  of  the  god  of  this  world.  The  weapons  of  our  war- 
fare must  be  spiritual.  The  enemy  will  lough  at  the 
shaking  of  a  spear,  at  diplomatic  skill,  at  comm  ice. 


19 


learniug,  philanthropy,  and  every  scheme  of  social  or- 
der and  refinement.  He  stands  in  fear  of  nothing 
but  the  cross  of  Clirist,  and  therefore  we  must  rely 
on  nothing  else.  With  that  we  may  boldly  pass  all 
his  outworks  and  enlrenchments,  and  assail  his  very 
citadel.  So  did  Philip,  when  he  preached  Jesus  as 
the  way  of  reconciliation  to  the  eunuch ;  so  did  Peter, 
when  preaching  to  the  centurion ;  so  did  Apollos,  when 
preaching  to  the  Greeks ;  so  did  Paul,  through  his  whole 
missionary  career.  It  is  wonderful  what  faiih  those 
ancient  worthies  had  in  the  power  of  a  simple  statement 
of  the  doctrine  of  salvation  througli  the  blood  of  Christ. 
But  they  had  felt  its  power  in  their  own  hearts,  they 
saw  it  on  the  hearts  of  others,  and  they  found  reason  to 
rely  on  nothing  else.  And  the  experience  of  modem 
missions  has  done  much  to  teach  the  inefficacy  of  all 
things  else,  separate  from  this.  Who  does  not  k  i  w  that 
the  only  cure  for  the  deep-seated  disorders  of  mankind 
must  be  wrought  in  the  heart,  and  that  nothing  operates 
there  like  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  the  cross  of  Christ  ? 
This  is  true  in  the  most  highly  civilized  communities  ; 
but  perhaps  it  is  specially  true  among  benighted  heathens. 
In  their  deplorable  moral  degradation,  they  need  just  such 
an  argument,  striking  even  the  very  senses,  and  convin- 
cing of  sin,  of  their  own  lost  state,  and  of  the  love  of  God. 
Nothing  else  will  be  found  like  that  to  bridge  the  mighty 
giUf  which  separates  their  thoughts  from  God  and  the 
spiritual  world.  Nothing  else  will  concentrate,  like  that, 
the  rays  of  divine  truth  and  grace  upon  their  frozen  affec- 
tions. With  the  truth,  that  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to 
give  his  only  begotten  Son  that  whosoever  believeth  on 
hira  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life,  we  go  forth 
through  the  heathen  world  ;  and,  with  any  thing  like  the 
faith  in  its  efficacy  through  the  Holy  Spirit  which  the 
apostles  had,  wc  shall  be  blessed  with  much  of  their  suc- 
cess. Yes,  my  Brethren,  this  is  the  only  etrectual  way  of 
prosecuting  missions  among  the  heathen — liolding  up 

CHRIST    AS    THE    ONLV     SaVIOK.  of  lost  SlNiiEKS.  It 


20 


requires  the  fewest  men,  the  least  expense,  the  shortest 
time.  It  makes  the  least  demand  for  learning  in  the 
great  body  of  the  laborers.  It  involves  the  least  compli- 
cation in  means  and  measures.  It  is  the  only  course  that 
has  the  absolute  promise  of  the  presence  of  Christ,  or  that 
may  certainly  look  for  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It 
keeps  Christ  constantly  before  the  missionary's  own  soul, 
as  an  object  of  intensest  interest  and  desire,  with  a  vast 
sanctifying,  sustaining,  animating  influence  on  his  own 
mind  and  preaching.  It  furnishes  him  with  a  power 
transcending  all  that  human  wisdom  ever  contrived,  for 
rousing  and  elevating  the  soul  of  man  and  drawing  it 
heavenward — the  idea  of  love,  infinite  and  infinitely  dis- 
interested, personified  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  suffering  to 
the  death  to  save  rebellious  and  ruined  man  I  And  if  the 
doctrine  comes  glowing  from  our  own  experience,  we  shall 
not  fail  to  get  the  attention  of  the  heathen,  and  our  success 
among  them  will  far  exceed  what  we  might  expect  among 
gospel-hardened  sinners  here  at  home.  I  might  dwell 
long  on  the  history  of  missions,  ancient  and  modern,  in  the 
most  satisfactory  illustration  of  this  point,  did  the  time 
permit ;  but  it  is  not  necessaiy. 

Let  me  add,  that  there  is  no  way  so  direct  and  effectual 
as  this,  to  remove  the  social  disorders  and  evils  that  af- 
flict the  heathen  world ;  indeed,  there  is  no  other  way. 
Every  specific  evil  and  sin  does  not  need  and  cannot 
have  a  separate  remedy,  for  they  are  all  streams  from  one 
fountain,  having  a  common  origin  in  a  depraved  and  re- 
bellions heart.  Urge  home,  then,  the  divinely  appointed 
remedy  for  a  wicked  heart ;  purify  the  fountain ;  let  love  to 
God  and  man  fill  the  soul ;  and  soon  its  influence  will  ap- 
pear in  every  department  and  relation  of  life.  If  reforms 
in  religion  and  morals  are  not  laid  deep  in  the  heart,  they 
will  be  deceptive,  and  at  all  events  transient.  The  evil 
spirit  will  return  in  some  form,  and  with  seven-fold 
power.  I'iew  England  owes  her  strong  repugnance  to 
slavery,  and  her  universal  rejection  of  that  monstrous  evil, 
to  the  higUy  evangelical  nature  of  her  preaching.  And 


21 


were  the  whole  southern  section  of  our  own  land,  or  even 
a  considerable  portion  of  it,  favored  with  such  highly 
evangelical  preaching,  slavery  could  not  there  long  exist. 
But  in  heathen  lands  especially,  an  effective  public  senti- 
ment against  sin,  in  any  of  its  outward  forms,  can  be 
created  no  where,  except  in  the  church  ;  and  it  can  be 
there  created  only  by  preaching  Christ  in  his  offices  and 
works  of  love  and  mercy,  with  the  aid  of  the  ordinances 
he  has  given  for  the  benefit  of  his  disciples,  especially  the 
sacrament  of  his  supper.  Thus  at  length,  even  in  barba- 
rous heathen  lands,  the  force  of  piety  in  the  hearts  of  the 
individual  members  of  the  church  will  be  raised  above 
that  of  ignorance,  prejudice,  the  power  of  custom  and 
usage,  the  blinding  influence  of  self-interest  falsely  appre- 
hended, and  the  ridicule  and  frowns  of  an  ungodly  and 
perverse  world.  Indeed,  if  we  would  make  any  thing  of 
converts  in  pagan  lands,  we  must  bring  them  lo  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel,  and  into  the  church,  as  soon  as  they 
give  satisfactory  evidence  of  regeneration  ;  for  they  are 
too  child-like,  too  weak,  too  ignorant  to  be  left  exposed  to 
the  dangers  that  exist  out  of  the  fold,  even  until  they  shall 
have  learned  all  fundamental  truths.  And  besides,  the 
school  of  Christ  for  young  converts  from  heathenism,  stands 
witfiin  the  fold,  and  there,  certainly,  the  compassionate  Sa- 
vior would  have  them  all  gathered,  and  carried  in  the  arms, 
and  cherished  "  even  as  a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children." 

f Finally;  This  method  of  conducting  missions  is  the 
only  one,  that  will  unite  in  this  work  the  energies  of  the 
churches  at  home. 

Well  understood,  this  will  unite  the  energies  of  the 
churches — so  far  as  Christians  can  be  induced  to 
])rosecute  missions  for  the  pur[iose  of  reconciling  men 
to  God.  Making  this  the  grand  aim  of  missions,  and 
pressing  the  love  of  Christ  home  upon  the  hearts  and 
consciences  of  men,  as  the  grand  means  of  effecting  this, 
will  certainly  commend  itself  to  the  understandings  and 
feelings  of  all  intelligent  Christians.  Not  only  will  a 
large  number  of  good  and  faithful  missionaries  be  obtain- 


22 


ed,  but  they  will  be  supported,  and  prayed  for,  and  made 
the  objects  of  daily  interest  and  concern.  And  how  de- 
lightful it  is  to  think,  that  the  Head  of  the  church  has 
been  pleased  lo  make  the  object  and.  work  of  missions  so 
entirely  simple,  so  spiritual,  and  so  beyond  the  possibility 
of  exception,  that  evangelical  Christians  of  every  nation 
and  name  can  unite  in  its  promotion.  But  if  we  change 
the  form  of  the  work,  and  extend  the  range  of  its  objects 
of  direct  pursuit,  and  of  course  multiply  the  measures  and 
influences  by  which  it  is  to  be  advanced,  we  then  open 
the  door  for  lionest  and  invincible  diversities  of  opinion 
among  the  best  of  men,  and  render  it  impossible  that 
there  should  be  united  effort,  on  a  scale  at  all  commensu- 
rate with  the  work,  and  for  a  long  period.  The  church 
militant  becomes  divided  and  weak,  and  is  easily  para- 
lized  and  thwarted  in  its  movements  by  the  combined 
and  united  legions  of  the  Prince  of  darkness. 

It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  missions  to  the  heathen 
must  have  a  highly  spiritual  nature  and  developement,  or 
prove  utterly  impracticable  and  abortive.  Such,  it  is 
believed,  are  the  convictions  of  all  who  have  had  much 
experience  in  such  enterprises.  Unless  missions  have  this 
nature  and  developement  in  a  very  high  degree,  they  will 
not  commend  themselves  strongly  to  the  consciences  and 
respect  of  mankind  ;  they  will  neither  command  the  requi- 
site number  of  laborers,  nor  keep  them  cheerfully  in  the 
field  ;  they  will  prove  inadequate  to  the  subjugation  of  the 
heathen  world  to  God ;  nor  will  they  unite  in  this  great 
enterprize  the  energies  and  prayers  of  the  churches.  In 
a  word,  they  will  not  continue  long  to  exist,  unless  Christ 
the  Lamb  of  God  be  in  them,  reconciling  the  world  unto 
himself,  and  causing  his  servants  to  make  the  salvation  of 
the  souls  of  men  their  all-commanding  end  and  aim. 
Men  may  resolve  that  it  shall  be  otherwise ;  but  their 
purposes,  however  decided,  will  be  in  vain  against  the 
unalterable  laws,  which  God  has  given  the  work  of  mis- 
sions to  the  heathen. 


S3 

Beloved  Brother, — In  the  system  of  missions,  with 
which  you  are  soon  to  be  connected,  the  aim  has  been, 
and  is  more  and  more,  as  experience  is  acquired,  to  prose- 
cute the  work  on  the  principles  advocated  in  this  dis- 
course. So  far  as  your  own  influence  is  concerned,  see 
that  the  system  be  rendered  still  more  spiritual  in  its 
temper,  objects,  and  measures.  See,  too,  that  your  own 
renunciation  of  the  world  is  entire  before  you  enter  upon 
your  self-denying  work,  and  that  it  be  your  determination 
to  know  nothing  among  the  heathen  but  Christ  and  him 
cmcified.  Only  by  looking  constantly  unto  Jesus,  will 
you  be  able  to  run  with  patience  the  race  set  before  you. 
As  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  sent  to  plead  with  men  in  his 
stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  see  that  you  are  true  to 
your  vocation,  and  faithful  to  your  trust,  and  that  you 
never  descend  from  the  elevated  ground  you  occupy. 
Whatever  oscillations  in  public  sentiment  there  may  be 
from  time  to  time  in  the  Christian  mind  at  home,  you 
need  not  fear,  if  your  character,  preaching  and  influence 
are  formed  on  the  New  Testament,  that  you  will  be  for- 
gotten in  the  contributions  and  prayers  of  God's  people. 
At  all  events,  be  faithful  unto  death,  and  whatever  be 
your  lot  here  below,  the  result  in  eternity  will  be  more 
blessed  to  you,  than  it  is  possible  for  your  mind  now  to 
conceive,  or  your  heart  to  desire. 

Fathers  and  Brethren, — Let  it  be  our  prayer,  that 
God  will  be  pleased  to  strengthen  our  own  faith  in  the 
realities  of  the  unseen  world.  Then  shall  we  be  belter 
able  to  pray  as  we  ought  for  our  missionary  brethren,  that 
they  may  be  intent  on  their  single  but  great  object  of 
winning  souls  to  Christ,  and  be  so  imbued  with  the  sjjirit 
of  Christ,  that  his  image  shall  be  fully  stamped  on  all  their 
converts.  Let  us  urge  upon  our  brethren  among  the  hea- 
then the  imperative  duty  of  making  full  proof  of  their 
ministry  as  missionaries,  rather  than  as  pastors;  and  let  us 
lay  upon  them  "no  greater  burden,"  than  the  "necessary 
things  "  appertaining  to  their  high  and  peculiar  vocation. 


24 


We  must  indeed  hold  them  to  the  principle,  that  they  shall 

treat  those  only  as  loyal  subjects  of  our  infinite  Sovereign, 
who  give  evidence  of  hearty  submission  and  reconcilia- 
tion ;  but  we  will  leave  it  to  their  better-informed  judgments 
to  determine, — in  the  remote,  vast  and  varied,  and  to  us 
almost  unknown  fields  of  their  labors, —  what  is  and  what 
ought  to  be  satisfactory  evidence  of  actual  reconciliation. 
Then  will  our  brethren  rejoice  in  having  a  simple,  well- 
sustained,  and  glorious  enterprise  before  them,  and  also 
"  for  the  consolation  "  of  the  liberty  conceded  to  them  by 
the  "  elders  "  and  the  "  whole  church."  In  this  good  old 
way,  marked  with  the  footsteps  of  the  apostles,  there  is 
hope  for  the  world,  for  the  whole  world,  that  it  may  be 
reconciled  to  God.  And  when  the  principles  of  love  and 
obedience  are  once  restored  to  men,  and  men  are  at  peace 
with  God,  and  united  to  Him,  then  will  they  be  at  peace 
with  one  another.  Then  wars  will  cease^and  all  oppression. 
Then  the  crooked  in  human  affairs  shall  be  made  straight 
and  the  rough  places  plain,  the  valleys  shall  be  exalted 
and  the  mountains  and  hills  made  low,  and  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  see  it  together. 

"  In  one  sweet  symphony  of  praise. 
Gentile  and  Jew  shall  then  unite  ; 
And  Infidelity,  ashamed, 
Sink  in  the  abyss  of  endless  night. 

"  Soon  Afric'*  long-enslaved  sons 
Shall  join  with  Europe's  polished  race, 
To  celebrate,  in  different  tongues, 
The  glories  of  redeeming  grace. 

"  From  east  to  west,  from  north  to  south, 
Emmanuel's  kingdom  shall  e.xtend  ; 
And  every  man,  in  every  face. 
Shall  meet  a  brother  and  a  friend." 


